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STUDY GUIDE: CH. 2 NEUROSCIENCE and BEHAVIOR
General Psychology (PSYC 2010)
Community College of Rhode Island
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STUDY GUIDE: CH. 2
NEUROSCIENCE and BEHAVIOR
Based on your chapter readings and lecture discussions, you should be prepared to answer the following key questions from the topic areas below. These questions are an aid to focus on the most important materiel in the chapter and as such serve as a reading guide and study guide for the chapter and exam review for this section.
Learning Obj. #1 - Introduction: Neuroscience and Behavior [p-
40]
- Define and explain the terms biological psychology and neuroscience.
Biological psychology: Specialized branch of psychology thst studies the relationship between behavior and bodily processes and systems; biopsychology/psychobiology
Neuroscience: Study of nervous system/brain
Learning Obj. #2 - The Neuron: The Basic Unit of Communication [p-46]
- Define neuron and identify the 3 basic types of neurons and their function.
Neuron: A highly specialized cell that communicates information in
electrical and chemical form; nerve cell
Sensory Neuron: The type of neuron that conveys information to the
brain from specialized receptor cells in sense organs and internal
organs; afferent neuron
Motor Neuron: Signals muscles to contract; efferent neuron
Interneuron: Communicates information from one neuron to the
next
- Identify the 3 basic components of a neuron, explain their function, and the importance of glial cells and the myelin sheath?
- Cell body, dendrites, and axon.
Glial cells are the support cells that assist neurons by providing
structural support, nutrition, and removal of cell wastes; they
manufacture myelin
Myelin Sheath: White, fatty covering wrapped around the axons of
some neurons that increases their communication speed.
- Describe how information is communicated “within” neurons based on understanding action potential, stimulus threshold, and resting potential.
-Messages are gathered by the dendrites and cell body and then
transmitted along the axon in the form of a brief electrical
impulse called action potential. It is produced by the
movement of electrically charged particles called ions, across the
membrane of the axon. Some are negative and some are
positive. The minimum level of stimulation required to activate a
particular neuron is the stimulus threshold. The state in which
a neuron is prepared to activate and communicate its message if
it receives sufficient stimulation.
- Explain the process of communication “between” neurons based on understanding the synapse, synaptic gap, axon terminals, and synaptic vesicles.
The synapse is the point of communication between two neurons. The
tiny space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite
of an adjoining neuron is the synaptic gap. The axon terminals are
branches at the end of the axon that contain tiny pouches/sacs called
synaptic vesicles. They contain chemicals called neurotransmitters.
- What is synaptic transmission and explain the process of reuptake.
Synaptic transmission is the process when neurotransmitters are
released by one neuron, cross the synaptic gap, and affect adjoining
neurons.
Reuptake is when neurotransmitter molecules detach from a post
synaptic neuron and are reabsorbed by a presynaptic neuron so they
can be recycled and used again.
- Explain the difference between an excitatory message vs. inhibitory messages?
An excitatory message increases the likelihood that the postsynaptic
neuron will activate and generate an action potential. An inhibitory
message decreases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will
activate.
levels in people’s blood after running—can travel from the blood into
the brain, where it can trigger a high.
- Identify how drugs effect neurotransmitter activity based on the agonist effect and the antagonist effect.
Agonist
Drug or other chemical substance that binds to a receptor site and
triggers a response in the cell
Antagonist
Drug or other chemical substance that blocks a receptor site and
inhibits or prevents a response in the receiving cell
Learning Obj. #4 - The Nervous System [p-53]
Identify the 2 major divisions of the central nervous system and explain the difference between neurons and nerves?
What is a spinal reflex and describe how a spinal reflex occurs.
List the divisions and subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system and describe their functions.
Learning Obj. #5 - Guided Tour of the Brain [p-59]
What is meant by the statement the brain functions as an “integrated system” and explain the concept of neural pathways?
What is neuroplasticity/plasticity and explain the difference between functional plasticity and structural plasticity, and explain neurogenesis?
Learning Obj. #5A – Brainstem [59-60]
- What are the key structures of the brainstem and describe the structures/functions of the Hindbrain and midbrain.
Learning Obj. #5B – Forebrain [61-63]
What is the forebrain, and explain the cerebral cortex?
Identify the 4 lobes of the cerebral cortex and describe their functions.
Learning Obj. #5C – Limbic System [63-66]
What is the key function of the limbic system?
Identify the 4 structures of the limbic system and describe their functions.
Learning Obj. #5D – Specialization in the Cerebral Hemispheres [66- 73]
Explain the concept of cortical localization/localization.
What is the difference between Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, and explain the concept lateralization of function?
Explain the significance of Roger Sperry’s split-brain research on left
brain / right brain hemisphere difference.
Key Terms
Corpus Callosum CTE Functional MRI [fMRI] Mirror Neurons Phineas Gage Phrenology Positron-Emission Tomography [PET] SSRI’s
STUDY GUIDE: CH. 2 NEUROSCIENCE and BEHAVIOR
Course: General Psychology (PSYC 2010)
University: Community College of Rhode Island
